Ford Expedition: Modern, luxurious while bigger and better than ever

By Ghaith Madadha - Oct 17,2022 - Last updated at Oct 17,2022

Photo courtesy of Ford

A more modern and luxuriously well-appointed take on the enormous full-size American SUV segment, the third generation Ford Expedition may well be a more sophisticated beast than its predecessors, but is no less powerful, rugged or comfortable.

Inheriting the same twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine that was first introduced late in its immediate predecessor’s lifecycle, the new Expedition also gains a slick and efficient 10-speed automatic gearbox, lower weight aluminium-intensive construction, and more advanced convenience, comfort, infotainment, safety and driver-assistance systems.

Hulking and hunkered

Decisively old school in its size, confident performance, cabin volume, and angularly upright and high riding proportions, the Expedition, however, receives more modern aesthetic details, including its grille design and lighting elements. In terms of broad design strokes, the current Expedition adopts a higher bonnet line and slightly descending, and seemingly lower, roofline, in place of its predecessor’s more urgent design. With its lower bonnet flanks and level roofline, the old Expedition instead sat with greater visual rear heft.

Emanating a greater sense of athletic tension, the old Expedition also featured a bigger – and now less fashionable – glasshouse, for better visibility and an airier interior ambiance. The current model, however, features a higher waistline for a more hunkered down and insulated feel, and employs more sophisticated driver assistance systems, in lieu or its predecessor’s better road views. That said, the newer model is, nevertheless, an improvement in almost every other way, including its higher degree of refinement and interior appointment.

Responsive and vigorous

Positioned under its muscularly sculpted bonnet and enormous chrome grille, the Expedition’s mighty twin-turbo V6 Ecoboost engine well fills in for the big brawny and naturally-aspirated V8 engines employed by rivals and predecessors. A fondly familiar engine, the Expedition’s Ecoboost sees 25BHP and 9lb/ft bumps in application for the luxuriously top of the range Platinum specification model. As such, it produces 400BHP by just 5,000rpm and 479lb/ft at 3,500rpm, of which much is available from low down and across its rev range.

Quick spooling and responsive from low-end, the Expedition’s Ecoboost suffers scant little of the lag often associated with turbocharged engines. Swiftly launching the Expedition Platinum’s behemoth-like 2,550kg mass from standstill to 100km/h in approximately 6-seconds, its engine delivers effortlessly confident mid-range, on the move versatility for overtaking and inclines, and builds towards peak power with indefatigable vigour. The Expedition’s smooth and intuitively-shifting 10-speed automatic gearbox’s closely spaced yet wide-ranging ratios meanwhile helps facilitate brisk acceleration, flexibility and efficient — and quiet — motorway cruising.

Heavy-duty comfort

Putting its abundant output down to the road through all four wheels, the Expedition delivers sure-footed road-holding and confident grip, while its rear electronic limited-slip differential works to both improve cornering agility, and on- and off-road traction over loose surfaces. Though large, heavy and comfort-oriented, the Expedition still delivers good off-road potential with its generous 249mm ground clearance facilitating improved off-road angles. Capable of towing up to 4,218kg, the Expedition, meanwhile, accommodates between 591- to 2961-litre of luggage, depending on seat configuration.

Inheriting a sophisticated and space-saving independent rear suspension design from its predecessor, along with adaptive air dampers, the Expedition rides with a greater degree of refined comfort and settled stability than SUVs with a live-axle and leaf-spring set-up. Featuring double wishbone suspension at the front, and well-weighted steering assistance, the Expedition handles with better control and accuracy than expected for its size and weight. Comfortably absorbing bumps and potholes despite firm low profile 285/45R22 tyres, the Expedition was also confidently reassuring at speed.

Enormous and ergonomic

Large, comfortable, smooth riding and extensively well-equipped, the Expedition turns into corners in a tidier fashion than expected. Through corners, it is balanced and contains body lean well for its class. User-friendly and confident, it is also more manoeuvrable than anticipated, but not exactly nimble. Driver assistance features meanwhile include blind spot monitoring, lane keeping and parking assistance, and adaptive stop and go cruise control. With its big footprint, the Expedition also benefits from improved interior space, and comfortably accommodates eight passengers.

With improved space in every direction, but third row headroom, the Expedition’s lower floor, compact rear suspension and sliding middle row seats, nevertheless, allow for better pace for rearmost passengers that do live-axle competitors. With more elegant and user-friendly design and improved refinement, quality and materials, the Expedition’s cavernous cabin makes considerable improvements over its predecessor. Most luxurious in Platinum specification, it also features clear instrumentation, better ergonomics, more sophisticated and generous equipment levels, and a stylish — Jaguar-like — rotary gear selector.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 3.5-litre, all-aluminium, twin-turbocharged, in-line V6-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 92.5 x 86.7mm

Compression ratio: 10:1

Valve-train: 24-valve, DOHC, variable valve timing, direct injection

Gearbox: 10-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Ratios: 1st 4.696; 2nd 2.985; 3rd 2.146; 4th 1.769; 5th 1.52; 6th 1.275; 7th 1.0; 8th 0.854; 9th 0.689; 10th 0.636

Reverse/final drive: 4.866/3.31

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 400 (405) [298] @5,000rpm

Specific power: 114.4BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 156.8BHP/ton

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 479 (650) @3,500rpm